Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 179, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1920 — NOT AFFILIATED WITH 3RD PARTY [ARTICLE]

NOT AFFILIATED WITH 3RD PARTY

INDIANA FEDERATION OF FARMERS’ ASSOCIATIONS IS KEEPING OUT OF POLITICS. • - L. • : - . - ■ . 1' — I Indianapolis, Ind., July 26—In order to correct any mistaken impression which may have arisen in this state concerning the so-called Farm-er-Labor third party, officers of the Indiana Federation of Farmers’ As-j sociations and state organization I workers are calling attention to the । fact that the Federation has noI connecttion with any such move-. ment. It has been pointed out that I not only the state federation but, the national organization to which the Indiana farmers are affiliated —the American Farm BUreau Federation —is headed by the most conservative of leaders who are firm for backing up their set platform as adopted at their first annual convention which set out principles in direct contrast to many of those advocated at this time by this new

party. . , County, state and nationally, the slogan »of the farmers has been to keep the organization “out of politics.” Again, numerous county associations in this state, as well as the parent body in Indiana, and the American Farm Bureau Federation have gone on record as against any tendency toward radicalism and have frowned repeatedly upon such doctrines as governmental ownership of railroads and public utilities. H. C. Reid, field man and state organizer, has contracted with a large number of county associations to conduct membership drives durinf the summer and early fall. He hopes to increase the number of drives to at least forty counties before the completion of his tour of the state. Confidence is expressed by state officers that the finish of these membership drives before the second annual convention to be held in November will see the Indiana Federation the strongest in the way of membership of any farmers’ organization in the middle west. The goal is for 150,000 members by November. lowa now leads with approximately 118,000 members, with Illinois second. The dates of opening membership drives under the new uniform plan together with the counties which have contracted follow: August 16—Hamilton, Jefferson, Putnam, Owen, Clay, Dubois, Lawrence, 'Allen and Cass counties. August 23—Washington county. September 6—Jennings county. September 13—Dearborn, Tipton, Jasper and Bartholomew bounties. October 4—Adams and Clinton counties. > _ - October 16—Steuben county. October 23—Noble county. President John G. Brown and Lewis Taylor, general secretary, will attend the conference of state presr idents and secretaries of the midwest to be held at the Michigan Agriculture College, Lansing, Mich., this week. All of the officers were busy during the last week looking after the interests of the farmers during the special session of the legislature.